Flat plate ironer



May 5, 1942. E. E. FOSTER 2,231,563

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Patented May 5, 1942 FLAT PLATE IRONER Edwin E. Foster, Austin, Tex., assignor to Majik- Ironers, Inc., Austin, Tex., a corporation of Texas 17 Claims.

, The present invention relates to improvements in nat plate ironers and particularly in the force applying means of such ironers.

The object of the present invention is to provide a single loop spring as the force applying means. A further object is to incorporate means whereby a slight slippage will take place between the two at-plate pressing members and also to automatically take care of various thicknesses of the material to be ironed without impairing the ironing eiect or the ironing pressure.

Further objects will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the drawings in which- Fig. 1 is a part vertical sectional view of a flat plate ironer in the raised position,

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the position of the various parts with the head member on the buck,

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 with the ironing pressure applied, ,1 t.,

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view on line 4--4 of Fis. 2.

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view on line 5-5 of Fig. 2 in the direction of the arrows,

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view on line 5-6 of Fig. 1 in the direction of the arrows,

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 'I-'| of Fig. 3,

Fig. 8 is a part vertical sectional view of a modified form of ironer,

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 8 showing the parts in the non-ironing but closed position,

Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional View taken on line |0-I0 of Fig. 9,

Figs. l1 and 12 are part vertical sectional views of another form of ironer showing the parts in different positions, and

Fig. 13 is a cross-sectional view taken on line |3|3 of Fig. 11.

The flat plate ironer includes a base member 92 and a movable top member |00, the member 92 having the buck 93 secured thereto and the member |90 the head member |0|. These two members 92 and |00 are operatively connected to each other by means of a double link 94 and a pair of links 95. The double link 94 rotatesor pivots on a pin or shaft 96 which is secured in the sides of the base member 92 as shown in Fig. 4. The upper end of the link 94 is rotatably base member 92. The upper ends of the links 95 are mounted on a shaft or pin 99. A further pair of links .|02 are mounted on the pin 99 and pin |03, the latter of whichv is secured in the top member |00. At the upper end of the links |02, as shown in Fig. 6, there is provided a short pin I2.4 Two stub shafts |0`|`are rotatably mounted or fixed in the top member |00 in suitable bearings. On each inner end of each shaft 49 arod |05 is pivot-ally mounted.

The two links 52 are connected together at their outer ends by a rod 53 around which a tubu.- lar sleeve 54| as a hand grip is provided as shown in Fig. 8. Thus the links 52, rod 53 and sleeve 54 constitute the operating handle G2 of the ironer.

On the other ends of the links 5| there is provided a pin 55 which also has two spacing sleeves 55 mounted between the links 5| and a collar 51 is placed between the sleeves on the pin 55. Between the pins i6 and 55 a spring 58 is tensioned having its ends surrounding the collars 48 and 51,

Thus the parts 5|, 55, 55 and 51 constitute a U- shaped member 59.

Stops may be provided in the casing of the top member 35 as for instance the upper stop pin 59 against which the U.shaped member 59 abuts in its upper position as in Figs. 6 and '7. A lower stop pin 0| as in Figs. 6 to 8 is to take care of accidental tripping of the UV-shaped member 59 before the buck and head are in contact so that the links 915 will abut the pin or pins 6| to prevent the loss of the energy in the spring 58.

There is provided a single spring |04 having one end |05 secured to a rotatably mounted rod |05. This rod |06 is pivotally and rotatably mounted in stub shafts |01 in the side walls of the member |00 as shown in Figs. 6 and 7. The shafts |01' also have the operating levers |08 of the operating handle |09 of the ironer and the levers |08 are connected together by the rod ||0 surrounded by the handle sleeve l.

The spring |0Ll, in a single loop, is preferably circular but any other configuration can be used. The other end of the spring |04 is secured to a short rod l I2 and the latter is mounted on the links |02.

The ironer according to Figs. 1 to 7 operates as follows. The spring |04 is tensioned during the assembly of the ironer and the force .in this spring remains practically constant at all times whether vthe ironer is in use or not. When the material to be ironed has been placed on the buck 93 the operator grasps the handle around the sleeve Il and draws the balanced head member |00 down from the position shown in Fig. 1 to that shown in Fig, 2 around the pins 96, 91, 98 and 99. Then a downward movement of the operating handle |09 causes the spring |04 to be shifted from the position shown in Fig. 2 to that shown in Fig. 3. Since the ironer when it is assembled has its full energy, tensioned outwardly, placed in the spring |04 which is always maintained whether in use or not the springfinV the position of Fig. 3 will now exert an ironing force between the head and the buck 93. In this position the ends of the spring |04, that is, the, effective ends as in Fig. 7 must be in coincidence cient to counterbalance the top member Thus the spring need not necessarily react and thus the force of the spring at the end l|05 is exerted from the rod |06 to the stub shafts |01 to the top member |00 and the other end from the rod ||2, links |02 and links 95 to the pin 98 on the base member 92, counteracted by the links 94.

In the position of the parts as in Fig. 2 the shafts |01 and the rod ||'2 are slightly out of coincidence in order to prevent theI spring |04 and the handle |09 from throwing over when the top member |00 is in the non-ironing position. i Due to the mounting of the top member |00 on the links a certain amount of slippage is attained between `the buck 93 andthe head member |0| as the'latter will move or laterally slip on the buck 93 a slight distance between the positions shown in Figs. l and 2.

` fTheironer shown in Figs. 8 to lalso utilizes a' single circular spring but the form of this ironer is similar to that shown in Figs.' 1 to 3 where the spring is tensionedor .hasA the original energy stored therein' not only to use its full Hforce for Athe ironing pressure but also touse a part ofjthis force for counterbalancingthe top member. In. Figs. 9 and 8 the parts fcut oil? are thesame as vshown in Figs. 1 to 3.

l 'Inthis construction the base member I3' has atop member ||4 pivoted thereto on the rod o r pingl |5. The base member ||3 has two posts |`|6"secured thereto in anysuitable manner so that theywill be rigid thereon. To the upper ends of these posts one end of a spring is secured on a pin ||8 and the other endof the springis Vsecured to arod ||9`. The latter is ro#- tatably mounted .on stub pins and also has an yarm |2| .havin-g the'conguration as seenin Figs. 8 andA 10. A lever or rod |22 is connected to the., arm |2| and this arm is actuated bya suitableoperating handle, not shown.

, Theironer accordingto Figs. 8 to l0 operates asfollows:

f Thespring |I1 before itis inserted or assembledinto the ironer is tensioned `so.A that the spring has a tension laterally" with considerable force-tendingto push the` points |23 in Fig. 10 away from' eachother.` Thusthe spring counterbalances the topf4 member ||4 from the position of Fig.8 to that of Fig. 9, full lines. However a small amount of energyfis imparted intothe spring when moving through this posif tion which is expended when the spring again liftsthetop member ||4 back to its raised position since thus the spring acts through a certain distance. Also when movingk into the position jof Fig. 9 from Fig'. 8 ythe reacting ends of the springl are brought into coincidence as shown byFiglO. VWhen now the rod |22 is moved toward the left the arm |2| and the spring are moved into the position shown by the dot and dash lines, Fig. 9, the spring is rotated to a posirtion'practically at right angles tothe normal po# sitiony Thespring will now impart a consider# able force vequal to the ironing pressure as the The operationof the ironer any force when expanding vertically as in Fig. 8 as the force istakenfrom the lateral expansion, that is thetendency of the points |23, Fig. 10, to move apart. In order to be operative the plane lof the spring, Fig. 9 must not pass through the pin l5'. Alsol as seen in Fig. 8 the top of the posts I6 acts as a stop for the spring Il'. YThe ironeraccording to Figs. ll to 13 islalso similar to Figs. 8 to 10 in thatV a `base member `|24 is hinged or vp i'voted by Ymeans of va rod |25 to the top member |26. A pair of posts |21 are suitably mounted on the base member |24 and to which one end |28 of a spring |29 is rotatably mounted on a bearing |30 -by means of a bear`v ing rod |32. Thespring is shaped approximately in theformfoialink open or lseparable at one side |3|* The end |3| is secured to a ro d |33 which rotates on stubpins |34 by'meansof bearf' ing collars |35 as shown in Figfl. A'lev'eror rod |36 is 'connected to eachcollar andy rods` |40 lea'd to the operating handle, notv shown; according' vto Figs. 11m 131s asfouows'." The spring |29 as shown in Fig'. r12`has` the general shape of a link and has two` tensions therein of different magnitudes. The end |28 is bent sharply and has therefore considerabley force equal to the ironing pressure and the other end 3| has a slight force imparted therein princi` pally from the bent portion |31 and this slight force is utilized for counterbalancing the top member |20. Inactual operation when the top member |26is moved downlfrom the'position of Fig. 11 tothat of Fig. 12 (dot Vand dash line'po-i sition) the portion |3| ofthespring129 is exed inwardly'until the' points |38 and |39l reachcof incidence. From the dot and dash line position of Fig. 12 the spring |29 is swung to the full'line position by moving the lever |36 to the left Vby operating the handle to'shift the operating rod also to the left. In this position, that is the full line lposition of Fig.y l2y an ironing'pressure will be exerted between the ironing elements sincethe force Vreacts from the base'member |24 by means of theposts |2'| to the bearing rod |32 and to the end |28 of the spring.v The ,othery end of the spring reactsjfro'm thev top memberm|25 bymeans of the pinsA |34 and rod |33'to the portion |3| thus 'exertinga pull between theftwo members|24ando|2|Rods |4|and |42are s e-A cured' to the sides of the members |24 and |26 respectively -which act'as limit 'stops for the spring. c

Also in this `form ofironer the ironingl force'is originally imparted vinto the end |28 of the' spring which is never expended during the operation of the ironer.f",Alsofa'sli'ght force is imparted into theend |3| buta slight energy must be' supplied lbyjthe operator each time theV arm moves' lfrom the position oFig. l1 to thatof Fig. 12 dueto the distance "through which the counterbal'ance 'ac'tsi It lis` of' courseV understofndl that the "various ironers, described' inthe foregoing canbe made of any suitable material or materials and that minor changes can be made in the various parts 'Without departing from the spirit of the invention. Also there are various Ways in which the spring can be mounted and operated but such use. Also due to the manner .in' which this ironer elements are mounted and the path one element travels with respect to the other it is possible to 'cause a certain amount of slippage between the ironing elements to thus impart a sheen to the materials which are ironed.

In all of the modications it is of course obvious that one or both ironing elements may be heated and also that any medium may be used to Y' heat the elements. Preferably the head element is made of metal and has an electric cord attached thereto by means of which an electric current is conveyed to heating elements or wires in the head. This construction is well known and does not form a part of this invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. A at plate ironer comprising a base member having a buck secured thereto, a top member having a head element secured thereto to cooperate with the buck, said top member being hinged to the base member so that the top member will be movable relative to the base member, a link pivotally secured at one end to one of the members and shiftable relative to both members, a single convolution spring secured at one end to the other of said members and the other end of the spring secured to the other end of said link, said spring having its energy stored therein when the ironer is assembled and a slight amount of energy being stored therein each time the head element is moved down on the buck to equalize the counterbalance in the top member and head element along its entire downward path of travel, and means for shifting the link when the head element contacts the buck to apply the force of the spring between the head element and buck for the ironing pressure without expending the energy in the spring.

2. A at plate ironer comprising a pair of members pivoted to each other and each having an ironing element attached thereto, one of said members being movable with respect to the other, a single loop spring having one end of the loop secured to one member and the other end of the loop secured to the other member, said spring having its energy stored therein when the ironer is assembled and` being movable on the securing ends with respect to said members, and means for moving said spring around its securing ends so that in one position the force in the spring will be inoperative between the ironing elements and in another position an ironing force will be imparted between the ironing elements.

3. A flat plate ironer according to claim 2, in which the ironer includes an operating handle which shifts the movable member to contact and separate the ironing elements and operates the means for moving the spring.

4. A flat plate ironer comprising a base member having an ironing element thereon, a top member having an ironing element thereon, means for mounting the top member so that it will be movable relative to the base member, a single loop spring in the base member which has its energy stored therein at all times to impart the ironing force by utilizing the force thereof, and means in the top member to render the ironing force in the spring eective between the ironing elements when the latter are moved adjacent to each other.

5. A Hat plate ironer according to claim 4, in which the spring and the last-named means are mounted in the base member.

.member in a balanced state.

'7. A flat plate ironer according to claim 4, in which the first-named means is composed of a pair of links pivotally mounted on said members so that the top member is movable on the base member in a balanced state and the spring is in the form of a single circular link having two ends.

8. A flat plate ironer according to claim 4, in which the spring is in the form of a single link having two ends of which the portion adjacent one or the ends imparts the counterbalance force and the portion adjacent the other end imparts the ironing force.

9. A hat plate ironer according to claim 4, in which the top member is provided with means whereby the ironing elements will be self-compensating for diierent thicknesses of material and permitting a slight amount of slippage to impart a sheen to the materials to be ironed.

l0, A mechanical movement comprising a pair of members pivotally connected at one end to each other and capable of movement relative to each other so that the other ends of the members may contact with each other, a single-coil spring having a single convolution connected to the pair of members having its energy permanently stored therein and the force of the spring describing a circuit passing through the pivots by means of both members in the non-contacting position of said other ends of the members, and means for transferring the force of the spring from the pivots to said other ends of the members when the said other ends are in contact with each other so that the force circuit now passes through the said other ends of the members by means of both said members.

ll. A pressing apparatus of the portable table type comprising a pair of members each having a pressing element at one end and a pivotal connection at the other end so that the members will be movable relative to each other into and out of engagement of the pressing elements, a bearing member one for each of said pair of members and each connected to its respective member, a prestressed single-coil spring of not more than one convolution connected between and on the bearing members and in one position of said spring the force of the spring being exerted only in one of said pair of members when Said preSSHg elements are out of engagement or if in engagement no force is desired between the pressing elements, and means for shifting the position of the spring from the rlrst-mentioned position by rotating the spring around at least one of its bearing members so that the force of abwvf.

the spring will be exerted through both members ywhen the pressing elements are in contact with .each other to utilize the force in the spring in and between the pressing elements. Y

12. A pressing apparatus according to claim 11 in which the spring shifts around both bearings and in which the spring is a single circumferential loop.

13. A pressing apparatus according to claim 11,

.inwhich the spring shifts around both bearings and in which the spring is a single oval-shaped loop.

14. A pressing apparatus according to claim 11,

in which the spring shifts around both bearings and in which the spring is link-shaped with forces of two different magnitudes.

15. A flat plate ironer comprising a base member having a stationary ironing element, a movable head member pivotally mounted to the base members and having a cooperating ironing element mounted thereon; an actuating handle member pivotallymounted in thev head member, a spring composed of a single convolution having `one endrotatably secured to the base member and the other end rotatably secured to the .head

member; said spring yhavingits ironing force constantly 'stored therein, and means `connected to the handle` member and oneend yof the spring kto shift said springaround its pivot axeswhen approximately coincidentupon actuation ofV said handleV member to apply` or relieve the ironing force between the ironing elements when the latter are in contact with eachother with the spring EDWIN E. FOSTER. 

